Exclusive: Why Lee Hendrie had "no doubt" as Rob Edwards enjoys record-breaking Middlesbrough start | OneFootball

Speaking exclusively with FLW, Lee Hendrie has been discussing Rob Edwards' start to life as Boro boss.

Sky Sports pundit and EFL expert Lee Hendrie has revealed why he isn't surprised that Rob Edwards has enjoyed a record-breaking start to life as head coach of Middlesbrough following his summer appointment.

The 42-year-old eventually replaced Michael Carrick at the Riverside Stadium back in late June, some time after his predecessor was dismissed following a dismal end to last season which saw the North East side fall short of a Championship play-off place for the second successive campaign.

Given what had gone before in Edwards' topsy-turvy managerial career in such a short space of time to date, his appointment certainly generated plenty of discourse, with lots of it focusing on whether he would be the man to eventually lead Boro back to the Premier League, having rarely come close to ending their top-flight exile since being relegated back in 2017.

However, he and a new-look squad and coaching setup on Teesside have made the best possible early impression on supporters and those on the outside alike, with the Reds enjoying their best ever start to a league season, as they still remain one of just two sides yet to taste defeat in the second tier after the opening six encounters, with the other being Coventry City.

It has been a remarkable turn of events in this part of the world after two frustrating seasons that followed their last finish inside the top-six, although Hendrie isn't fully surprised that his former Aston Villa teammate is working wonders at the Riverside.

The Boro vacancy is the third taste of Championship football in Edwards' managerial career, having previously overseen matters at Watford and Luton Town.

His initial success at Kenilworth Road after a brief stint in charge of their bitter rivals was well-documented, as the Hatters achieved an unexpected promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs in May 2023, before being relegated immediately despite earning plenty of praise for their efforts as mass underdogs.

Yet, with the aforementioned tag non-existent last season, Edwards and Luton parted ways in January, just four months before the club suffered back-to-back relegations to League One.

And, despite initial skepticism coming Steve Gibson's way at the time of his appointment as a result, he has taken 16 points from the first 18 available, with Middlesbrough finding themselves four points clear at the top, and the aforementioned Hendrie has lauded the club for pulling off a significant masterstroke.

"I had no doubt that he (Edwards) was going to go in there and really turn that club (around)," the pundit exclusively told Football League World.

"I think, taking over from Carrick, they're very similar I feel in their styles," he claimed. "But, just knowing Rob and what he gets out of teams and how he approaches things, he's very fair in that way and he's had success. There was no doubt he was going to do well.

"It's looking like a massive masterstroke for Boro, but I had no doubt that he was going to give them something to really go at this season.

"Listen, we're six games in, there's a long way to go. But, the start they've had, they've shown that they're capable of really competing this season, and so they should do.

"I hope so for Rob, because he deserves everything he gets," Hendrie added.

As Hendrie alluded to, there are still 40 games remaining, but the early signs are extremely promising for all connected to Middlesbrough that the appointment of Edwards could bring serious rewards to the Riverside.

The former League Two title-winning boss has already stamped his authority on the club with several tactical tweaks and changes of personnel, as his team are playing with a strong creative freedom and intensity with and without possession, as seen in their most recent victory over West Bromwich Albion on Friday night.

Unsurprisingly, this has generated such a positive connection between the supporters, Edwards and his players, with the boss' man-management skills also evident amid Morgan Whittaker's recent predicament following a flashpoint vs Preston North End, highlighting that everybody must be on the same page.

Next up for Middlesbrough is a clash against Southampton at St Mary's.

Whilst Will Still hasn't had the start he'd have hoped for on the South Coast as his team sit 19th after a run of five games without victory, it would be a major statement of intent if Boro were to accumulate another three points.